The invention relates to a support system for holding a variety of planters, birdfeeders, statuary and sundry art while mounted onto a post or other vertical structure. This structure can be rotated up to 180 degrees to allow the object being supported to be rotated in such a manner as to allow the object to be removed from the support system without leaning out and lifting the object. This object could be heavy or the leaning may result in an awkward maneuver. This invention also relates to rural mailboxes, particularly support apparatus that make the mailbox installation resistant from damage by being struck by a snowplow, car or truck.
Roadside mailboxes, typically required to be installed in rural and suburban neighborhoods, have long been a source of constant maintenance and repair. If proper upkeep is not provided, the result is often unusable and/or unsightly installations.
U.S. Post Office specifications require that the mailbox extend to near the curb or road shoulder, so that the mail carrier can deliver the mail without leaving his/her vehicle. To remove the mail, the homeowner must stand in the in front of said mailbox, putting the person close to or in the actual path of traffic. The first sign or sound of approaching traffic usually results in the prudent person moving toward the curb.
The greatest potential for damage to a mailbox comes from a snowplow moving down the street at a moderate to high rate of speed. Attempting to do the best job possible of clearing the street, the plow driver tries to get as close to the edge of the road without hitting any mailboxes. Even though the snowplow operator very seldom actually hits the mailbox, the snow trailing off the plow blade is known to impact the mailbox and support system and can completely destroy even the sturdiest mailbox posts.
Roadside mailbox supports come in a wide variety of designs. These range from the basic 4-inch square post support to extravagant designs.
Varied attempts have been made to improve crash protection for mailbox supports. U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,704 issued July 2007 to Smith titled “Mailbox Multi-Position Support System” discloses a mailbox mounted on a lazy Susan type rotatable system mounted onto the center of a single post. This means the mailbox post needs to be positioned very close to the edge of the road and does not provide any real protection from being struck by a snow plow or other vehicle. In essence, this design only allows the owner to rotate the mailbox away from the road 90 to 180-degrees in either direction to remove mail without stepping onto the roadway.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,146 issued March 2007 to Dunn, et al titled “Deflector Mailbox Support System” discloses a mailbox mounted on a complicated rotation system on a post or an arm allowing the mailbox to rotate around its center point. When mounted on a post, this means that the mailbox post is located close to the road right-of-way. Even if the rotating apparatus was mounted on an arm away from the post, the arm is not movable and when the mailbox is struck, the mailbox and the arm or post the system is mounted on will be damaged and the mailbox will be laying on the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,933 issued April 2000 to Hoover titled “Swing Arm Support for Mailbox” discloses a simple rotational assembly allowing for a mailbox to rotate 360-degrees around the center point of the post it is mounted on. Although simple in design, there is nothing in the design to ensure the mailbox remains orientated at 90-degrees to the road right-of-way. The simplicity of the design restricts the diameter of the post this system must be mounted on. Nor can this system to be easily moved higher or lower in order to meet Postal height requirements without raising or lowering the actual post it is mounted on. Finally, this design does not lend itself to any artistic embellishments other than changing the painting scheme used on it.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,202, issued July 1998 to Black et al, titled Pivoting Mailbox Post discloses a more simple rotational system than U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,933 but works on the same principle. There is nothing noted in this patent which ensures the mailbox remains perpendicular to the roadway in the event of high winds except perhaps the angle that the actual support post is placed in the ground nor is there any provisions for raising or lowering the mailbox as needed to meet postal height requirements without raising or lowering the actual post it is mounted on. Finally, this design does not lend itself to any artistic embellishments other than changing the painting scheme used on it and will only function if it is mounted on a post of a diameter large enough to properly retain the rod which holds the three main pieces in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,343 issued July 1995 to Morton titled “Mailbox Mounting Device” and discloses a Lazy Susan type system which is purported to allow the mailbox to return to it's original orientation if struck buy a vehicle. However, this design is much like U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,145 requires the rotational system to be mounted in the center of the mailbox. This does not provide the mailbox or post any protection if struck to the right of the mailbox center. This means the mailbox, post or arm the mailbox is mounted on will be damaged the same amount as if the rotational device was not used.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,409 issued August 1995 to Coushaine titled “Pivoting Mailbox Apparatus” discloses a simple mailbox support system capable of supporting only one mailbox. This is due to the need for two thin slotted brackets which appear to be easily broken since the natural tendency would be for the mailbox to rotate around the top of the arm when struck. Although this system allows for 90-degree rotation from the mounting point, it also requires a stop to be an integral part of the design in order to prevent the mailbox from being mounted too close to the post. This means the post size this support system us mounted on is limited to the stand off distance between the integral stop and post mounting surface. If a post wider than twice this stand off thickness is used, then the mailbox will impact the post before completing the 90-degree rotation. In addition, since any traffic that might hit the mailbox mounted on this design will approach it only from one direction and the 90-degree rotation away from on-coming traffic will not provide as much protection as 180-degree rotation from the normal position.
Moreover, the Coushaine design utilizes a single hook that is cast into the support arm on which newspapers, packages and other advertisements may be suspended using string or rubber bands. This hook system will not find favor with the personnel delivering advertisements since they cannot slide the advertisement into a tube and will probably have to exit their vehicle in order to attach their advertisement to the hook. Since advertisers will not use this hook feature, it means a separate tube on a separate post close to this support arm in which to place their products. If this secondary system is positioned too close, it will distract from any cosmetic value it might have. And finally, there is no way for the owner to customize this design other than to change its color scheme.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,958 issued March 1995 to Walker titled “Mailboxes Rotatable to any one of a plurality of Orientations” is much like U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,704, U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,343, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,146. Like the others, this design allows the mailbox to be rotated and allow the mailbox owner to get their mail without standing in the right-of-way but does little to prevent the mailbox, post or arm from being damaged if struck since it has to be mounted on a rigid post or arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,239 issued December 1978 to Belsheim titled “Swing-Away Mailbox” is a simple design which uses an angled rod to keep the mailbox orientated at 90-degrees to the right away as well as allowing the post to be positioned well off the road. It does not appear from the description that this mailbox support system is wide enough to support more than one mailbox nor does it have any provisions for newspapers to be deposited without a secondary post and container. Since this design forces the mailbox to rotate up when moved, this design cannot be used for any other purpose since anything placed on top of the arm it will fall off. In addition, this design must be mounted to the top of a post and cannot be mounted on the side of a post.